Duluth Bushcraft Pack (Quick Review)

[bulgron]

Andrew Dice Clay, once commenting on commenting on the price of a very expensive sweater...said the salesman, "Well, it's a handmade item."

Andrew Dice Clay, ever the Gent responded, "Well, yeah, I didn't think some guy knitted it with his dick."

To me, "handmade in the United States" means that there's an element of craftsmanship there. At the very least, it means you don't have to worry about some plant manager somewhere demanding that corners be cut on materials and production methods so that he can get a big quarterly bonus. And it's the corner cutting that causes packs to blow up on you when halfway up a mountain.

Now, to be sure, "hand-made" doesn't always result in superior quality -- after all, it comes down to the skill of the craftsman (see, for example, custom knives). But Duluth Packs has been around more than long enough for us to safely say that their craftsmanship is as good as it gets, and so the extra cost is probably worth it -- IF the style of pack works for you.

I had Vietnam era ALICE packs that served just as well. In answer to your question, yeah, that would matter except I don't have to pay that extra amount of money to get something that is basically a boulder-on-the-shoulders - ALICE will go forever as well. $25.00

shrug ALICE packs come in one and only one style. As far as I know, you can have them in any color you want so long as its olive-drab. And they're large packs.

In other words, there's a good chance that an ALICE pack might not be appropriate for whatever outdoor activity you wish to engage in.

If you can get a $25 pack to work for you, more power to you. You'd be foolish not to do it. If not, then there's a plethora of other options on the market, including a sizable selection of Duluth Packs in different styles, sizes and colors that cost more than mass-produced packs, but which will last you your entire life, unlike those mass-produced packs.

Ain't capitalism grand?

All of that having been said, I really like the look of them but prefer lighter stuff that's still rather rugged. I have been through some external frame packs in the 80s and 90s and I eat them alive. I keep going back to "rucks."

The Duluth Pack is a "ruck." But she is mighty expensive. Nice though!

If I was doing a lot of canoeing, I'd have a Duluth Pack (probably more than one) and there wouldn't be any debate about it. I could probably get one to work for me for car camping, but frankly I already have day packs and weekend bags that work well for car camping, as well as other activities, so there's no need.

All of that said, I have kids in grade school and the book loads they're asked to carry just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Every single school year we have to buy them new backpacks because the old ones are worn out. I wonder if I shouldn't get them Duluth Packs. It might save me some money in the long run.

 

[FoxholeAtheist]

All of that said, I have kids in grade school and the book loads they're asked to carry just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Every single school year we have to buy them new backpacks because the old ones are worn out. I wonder if I shouldn't get them Duluth Packs. It might save me some money in the long run.

I bought our kids Maxpedition packs for that same reason. Daughter used hers for a year, then decided she didn't like the color any more. Son lives with his grandparents... not sure if he still uses his. My .02CDN